Homemade French Onion Dip is better than anything you can buy at the store, and much easier to make than you might think! You’ll want to dip everything from chips to carrot sticks in this savory dip.
One thing in my life that I am super particular about when it comes to food is chip dip – more specifically French Onion Dip. I’m not super picky when it comes to the dippable items. Basically just give me a chip, but I am a total chip dip snob.
When I was a kid, I fell pretty hard for the French Onion Dip at a local carry out in my hometown and now as an adult, I’ll drive miles to pick up that chip dip over just grabbing a name brand from the grocery store.
Well soup de doo, would you look at that luscious black bean soup! Not to mention it’s naturally vegetarian and gluten free (vegan too if you skip the dairy-based toppings!) Starting with dried black beans produces a robust bean stock that is then pureed with the cooked beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and other aromatics for a […]
Well soup de doo, would you look at that luscious black bean soup! Not to mention it’s naturally vegetarian and gluten free (vegan too if you skip the dairy-based toppings!)
Starting with dried black beans produces a robust bean stock that is then pureed with the cooked beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and other aromatics for a thick and creamy soup without the need for additional stock.
I know, I know, it’s still like 800 degrees outside, but that doesn’t mean fall isn’t on my mind (and fall, of course, means soup). Clearly I don’t have an issue with enjoying soup for dinner during the summer months, and this recipe is no exception.
Made using dried black beans, this soup is thick and creamy and super satisfying. All that protein inherent in black beans makes for a hearty and filling soup that’s a satisfying meal in its own right.
When topped with melty cheese and sour cream, it could also be called bean dip soup which really describes it perfectly. I love to eat it alongside a bowl of salty corn tortilla chips, adding an element of crunch to the otherwise smooth consistency.
Hush Puppies with Spicy Dipping Sauce
These hush puppies are a Southern classic and this recipe is absolutely the best; a simple batter that comes together quickly and only takes minutes to fry up. A perfect side dish or appetizer for your next seafood…
These hush puppies are a Southern classic and this recipe is absolutely the best; a simple batter that comes together quickly and only takes minutes to fry up. A perfect side dish or appetizer for your next seafood (or, heck, any!) meal!
Moist and tender coffee cake muffins studded with fresh blueberries and a cinnamon sugar topping that bakes to a delightful crunch. Turns out my grandma’s old fashioned sour cream coffee cake recipe makes for some pretty spectacular muffins. For a while now I’ve wondered if my grandma’s old fashioned coffee cake recipe would translate into […]
Moist and tender coffee cake muffins studded with fresh blueberries and a cinnamon sugar topping that bakes to a delightful crunch.
Turns out my grandma’s old fashioned sour cream coffee cake recipe makes for some pretty spectacular muffins.
I may as well burn all my previous muffin recipes because this one beats them all. Sorry sourdough muffins, these coffee cake muffins have my whole heart (ok ok that’s not fair to the sourdough muffins which really are quite good. Seeing as these are made with butter, sour cream and almost double the sugar, I mean, it’s not entirely a fair comparison).
I think the keys that make this recipe so spectacular are twofold: sour cream for adds moistness, richness and a hint of tang, and the crispy sugar topping for a truly terrific textural experience.
I’m always a fan of muffins with toppings; the more streusel the better, I say. But sometimes it pays to be minimalist. In this case, a simple sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar bakes up into a light and crispy topping that puts any streusel to shame. Not to mention it’s way, way easier.
Here’s how to make the tastiest fish tacos around! Bake the fish with a dry rub of spices, then top it with tangy slaw and creamy sauce. Tacos are always a win over here, so might we introduce you to our new favorite? These baked fish tacos! We eat a mostly plant-based diet, with room for seafood occasionally (basically the Mediterranean diet). And my, are tacos the best treat! You’ll bake the white fish until it’s flaky with a dry rub of spices: no breading or frying necessary. Then top it with a quick and simple tangy slaw, and a creamy fish taco sauce. They’re delicious, easy to make and a total crowd pleaser that works for weeknights or dinner parties. Here’s what you need to know! What fish to use for fish tacos You can use any type of white fish for these healthy fish tacos! Here are some of the types of fish that are easiest to find and result in the best tacos: Tilapia: has a great mild flavor and buttery texture Cod: the flavor here is even milder! Cod is a very neutral-flavored fish and a great choice (it’s surprisingly tasty: also try grilled cod or pan fried […]
Here’s how to make the tastiest fish tacos around! Bake the fish with a dry rub of spices, then top it with tangy slaw and creamy sauce.
Tacos are always a win over here, so might we introduce you to our new favorite? These baked fish tacos! We eat a mostly plant-based diet, with room for seafood occasionally (basically the Mediterranean diet). And my, are tacos the best treat! You’ll bake the white fish until it’s flaky with a dry rub of spices: no breading or frying necessary. Then top it with a quick and simple tangy slaw, and a creamy fish taco sauce. They’re delicious, easy to make and a total crowd pleaser that works for weeknights or dinner parties. Here’s what you need to know!
What fish to use for fish tacos
You can use any type of white fish for these healthy fish tacos! Here are some of the types of fish that are easiest to find and result in the best tacos:
Tilapia: has a great mild flavor and buttery texture
Cod: the flavor here is even milder! Cod is a very neutral-flavored fish and a great choice (it’s surprisingly tasty: also try grilled cod or pan fried cod)
Mahi mahi: if you can’t find the first two, mahi mahi also works: it has a richer, meatier flavor
Other great choices? Snapper, grouper or halibut. Above all, try to find wild caught fish if you can. It’s more sustainable and higher quality than farmed fish.
Ingredients in fish taco seasoning
What makes the flavor in these easy fish tacos? The dry rub for the fish taco seasoning! You can make up a big batch of this seasoning in advance and keep it around for taco time (it keeps for about 1 year). Or just mix up what you need day of, which is what we normally do.
Here’s the cool thing: you’ll use it as a dry rub on the fish. There’s no breading and no oil! Just pat the spices on and bake for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit! The spices form a beautiful crust that’s full of zesty flavor. Here’s what’s in fish taco seasoning:
Chili powder
Cumin
Smoked paprika
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Smoked paprika is a Spanish version of paprika that infuses a hint of smokiness into each bite. If you can’t find it, use sweet paprika. If you buy a jar, use it up with these Best Smoked Paprika Recipes.
How to make the quickest taco slaw: tips!
One thing that’s essential for fish tacos: a slaw that’s actually fast to make. Many taco slaw recipes take longer than expected: they require lots of ingredients for the dressing or chopping lots of veggies. Not this one! We’ve pared it down to the essentials so that it takes only about 5 minutes to put together. Here are some tips:
Red cabbage, carrot, and green onion are all you need. This makes the quickest and easiest slaw: only a few veggies to slice.
Add lime and salt and you’re done! You don’t need to make a fancy dressing: tangy lime juice does the trick! Celery salt adds a nice nuance to the overall flavor. If you don’t have it, just use kosher salt!
Serve with a slotted spoon. This slaw picks up moisture as it sits. Serving it right away avoids this. If you let it sit for any amount of time, serve with a slotted spoon to avoid a watery taco.
5 fish taco sauce ideas
Once you’ve made your baked fish and quick slaw, all you need is the sauce! There are lots of ideas of great sauces to use. Here are our favorite sauces for these quick fish tacos:
Fish Taco Sauce This sauce makes fish tacos taste incredible! Lime, garlic and hot sauce are the ideal compliment for flaky fish.
Cilantro Lime Crema You’ll want to bathe in this zesty cilantro lime crema! It’s made with sour cream, lime, cilantro and a few spices.
Spicy Mayo Make the Mexican-style spin on this spicy mayo: it’s just 2 ingredients so you can whip it up in a flash. *Dairy free option
Chipotle Sauce This easy sauce is zesty, smoky and creamy: perfect for tacos and burritos! *Dairy free option
Shrimp Taco Sauce This one works on fish tacos too! It’s like a creamy ranch made with cilantro: quick and easy!
Sides to serve with fish tacos!
Once you’ve made these epic fish tacos, you’ll need something to serve with them! For weeknight meals, we opt for fast and easy side dishes like canned refried beans. But for a dinner party, we’ll make more side dishes to complete the meal. Here are a few ideas of sides to go with tacos:
Refried Beans: Many canned refried beans have great flavor right out of the can (or stir in some salt, cumin and chili powder). Or, make these tasty Homemade Refried Beans.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Thaw the fish, if necessary.
Make the fish: In a small bowl, mix together the dry rub: chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Pat the fish dry, then sprinkle it with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and pat it in. Add the seasoning and pat it to cover the fish. Place the fish on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, until tender. Then broil for 2 minutes until the top is lightly browned.
Make the slaw: Meanwhile, thinly slice the cabbage. Shred or grate the carrot (we used a handheld julienne peeler). Thinly slice the green onion. Place the cabbage, carrots and green onion in a bowl. Stir in the lime juice, salt and celery salt. Serve immediately with a slotted spoon. The slaw picks up moisture as it sits; if you plan to let it sit, make sure to serve with the slotted spoon to strain out the moisture.
Warm the tortillas: If desired, char the tortillas by placing them on an open gas flame on medium for a few seconds per side, flipping with tongs, until they are slightly blackened and warm. Or warm them according to How to Warm Tortillas.
Assemble the tacos by topping the tortillas with fish, slaw, and sauce. Top with chopped cilantro and a spritz of lime.
Notes
*If you’re serving 4 hungry eaters, you may want to increase the fish to 1.5 pounds and up the spice quantities accordingly. The slaw and sauce should work for 12 tacos. Or, make sure to serve with a filling side dish like refried beans (purchased or homemade).
Category:Main Dish
Method:Baked
Cuisine:Mexican
Keywords: Fish tacos, fish taco sauce, fish taco slaw
More tacos recipes
Tacos are one of the meals we eat the most around here! Here are a few more tacos recipes we have on regular rotation:
Crispy Avocado Tacos Destined to be your new favorite! With crunchy breading, they’ve got the vibe of a fish taco but are totally plant based.
Quick Shrimp Tacos A fast dinner recipe for weeknights or entertaining. They taste stunning drizzled in a creamy cilantro sauce!
Best Jackfruit Tacos In just 20 minutes jackfruit turns into a plant based version of pulled pork carnitas. These tacos will amaze you!
The Best Blueberry Muffins
These easy blueberry muffins mix together quickly for a perfect morning treat. Soft and tender from sour cream and bursting with blueberries (use fresh or frozen!), these muffins have been a long-time family favorite.
READ: T…
These easy blueberry muffins mix together quickly for a perfect morning treat. Soft and tender from sour cream and bursting with blueberries (use fresh or frozen!), these muffins have been a long-time family favorite.
Creamy, tangy, and filling, these Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas are an awesome comforting weeknight dinner. Whether you cook a couple of chicken breasts up quickly in a skillet, or use pre-cooked chicken like rotisserie chicken or canned chicken breast, this recipe comes together easily. I smothered these chicken enchiladas with a really quick homemade green […]
Creamy, tangy, and filling, these Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas are an awesome comforting weeknight dinner. Whether you cook a couple of chicken breasts up quickly in a skillet, or use pre-cooked chicken like rotisserie chicken or canned chicken breast, this recipe comes together easily. I smothered these chicken enchiladas with a really quick homemade green chile sauce that only takes about 10 minutes to make, and has a LOT more flavor than store bought canned enchilada sauce, so try not to skip it if you can!
Chicken Options
I cooked up a couple of chicken breasts in a skillet for these enchiladas (instructions included in the recipe below), but you can take a short cut by using rotisserie chicken or canned chicken breast, if you want to make this recipe even easier. You’ll need about 2 cups of chopped cooked and cooled chicken for the enchilada filling.
Can I Add More Vegetables?
Yes, you can add more vegetables to the enchilada filling, if you’d like. Since you’ll be adding more volume, I suggest either making more enchiladas (maybe 16 enchiladas) or reducing the meat by half to make up for the added vegetables. Vegetables that would go good in these green chile chicken enchiladas include: zucchini (sautéed first to remove moisture), spinach (chopped and sautéed or frozen, thawed), or frozen corn (thawed).
Or you can just add a bunch of vegetables as you side dish to get your balance. ;)
What to Serve with Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
There are so many great side dishes that would go with these enchiladas. Try one of the following:
I would consider these enchiladas “medium” spicy. I used pepper jack cheese, which has spicy peppers, as well as a little cayenne pepper in the filling. If your canned green chiles (used to make the enchilada sauce) are spicy as well, your enchiladas will be more on the spicy side.
If you want to make these enchiladas mild, simply swap out the pepper jack cheese for Monterey Jack, skip the cayenne pepper in the filling, and make sure you use mild canned green chiles.
Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
A creamy, cheesy chicken filling inside toasted corn tortillas, smothered with a homemade sauce makes these green chile chicken enchiladas to die for!
heat a large skillet over medium-high. Once hot, toast the tortillas for 30-60 seconds on each side, or until browned on the edges (no oil needed). Stack the toasted tortillas on a plate and cover with foil or an upside down bowl to keep them from drying out.
Turn the heat under the skillet down to medium, add the cooking oil, and swirl to coat the surface. Add the chicken breast and cook for about 5-7 minutes on each side, or until cooked through (165ºF internal temperature). Transfer the chicken breast to a clean cutting board to cool.
While the chicken is cooking, begin the green chile enchilada sauce. Add both cans of diced green chiles (with liquid) to a blender and purée until smooth.
Add the cooking oil, flour, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder to a small sauce pot. Stir and cook over medium, allowing the mixture to come up to a bubble. Once bubbling, continue to cook and stir for 1 minute.
Carefully add the water and puréed green chiles to the sauce pot and whisk to combine. Allow the sauce to come back up to a simmer, stirring often. Once simmering, turn off the heat, and season with salt (about ½ tsp). Set the sauce aside.
Begin preheating the oven to 350ºF. Add the sour cream, half of the shredded pepper jack, sliced green onions, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne and salt to a large bowl. Finely dice the chicken, then add it to the bowl with the other ingredients. Stir until everything is well combined.
Begin assembling the enchiladas. Add about ¼ cup of the prepared filling to the center of each tortilla and then roll it closed. Place the filled tortillas in a casserole dish, seam side down.
Pour the prepared green chile enchilada sauce over the enchiladas, then top with the remaining shredded pepper jack cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Serve hot.
Notes
*You can use pre-cooked chicken, if preferred. This price reflects organic chicken breasts.
How to Make Green Chile Enchiladas – Step by Step Photos
Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Once hot, add the tortillas and toast on each side for 30-60 seconds or until browned (no oil needed). Place the toasted tortillas on a plate and cover with foil or an upside down bowl to keep them from drying out.
Turn the heat under the skillet down to medium. Add ½ Tbsp cooking oil to the hot skillet and swirl to coat. Add two boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cook for about 5-7 minutes on each side or until cooked through (165ºF internal temperature). Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean cutting board to cool.
While the chicken is cooking, begin the green chile enchilada sauce. Purée two 4oz. cans of diced green chiles (with the liquid from the can) in a blender.
Add 2 Tbsp cooking oil, 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour, 1 tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp garlic powder, and ½ tsp onion powder to a sauce pot. Cook and stir over medium until it begins to bubble. Once bubbling, continue to cook and stir for one minute.
Add 1 cup water and the puréed green chiles. Whisk to combine, then allow it to come back up to a simmer (stirring frequently). Once simmering it will thicken slightly. Season with salt (about ½ tsp), then set the sauce aside.
Finely chop the cooked chicken.
Begin preheating the oven to 350ºF. Add ½ cup sour cream, 4oz. shredded pepper jack (1 cup), 2 sliced green onions, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp cayenne, ½ tsp cumin, ¼ tsp salt, and the chopped chicken to a bowl. Stir to combine.
Begin assembling the chicken enchiladas. Add about ¼ cup filling to each toasted tortilla, then roll closed. Place the filled tortillas in a casserole dish, seam side down.
Pour the prepared green chile enchilada sauce over the enchiladas.
Top with the remaining 4oz. (1 cup) shredded pepper jack cheese.
Bake the enchiladas in the preheated 350ºF oven for 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling around the edges. (I garnished with chopped cilantro, but it’s not really needed for flavor).
Serve hot! Side dish recommendations in the blog post above the recipe! :)
Tough times call for looking at everything in the kitchen as a potential source of food. I’ve been saving the breadcrumbs on my cutting board and scraping them into pots of soup. I parsimoniously scrutinize every egg I use, counting how many I might need for any upcoming baking projects. Fresh lettuce has become a precious commodity as I’m trying to only to go food…
Tough times call for looking at everything in the kitchen as a potential source of food. I’ve been saving the breadcrumbs on my cutting board and scraping them into pots of soup. I parsimoniously scrutinize every egg I use, counting how many I might need for any upcoming baking projects. Fresh lettuce has become a precious commodity as I’m trying to only to go food shopping only one day per week. We don’t have the same shortages (or hoarding) they have in other places, but some things are in short supply, mostly pasta, rice, flour, and yeast.
When I filled my wheeled caddy with produce on my last trip to the natural food store, I included two big bunches of radishes since we eat a lot of them, and I didn’t want to be caught without any. Usually, I toss the leaves, since we don’t have composting here yet, and I do so much cooking and baking, it’s not possible to always use everything*. (I need to go outside sometimes, ya know, even if we’re not locked down in confinement.) But I remembered when we used to visit Romain’s parents, they would often serve us Soupe aux fanes de radis, or Radish Leaf Soup.
Now it’s time to share the ultimate cheesecake recipe with you – a New York-style cheesecake. No fancy embellishments, just a humble graham cracker crust with a sky-high cheesecake filling.
This is a cheesecake purist’s dream.
Is cheesecake difficult to make?
Some people feel that making a homemade cheesecake is time-consuming. But the truth is, it doesn’t require very much hands-on time, and the results are absolutely, 100% worth it!
The graham cracker crust is incredibly quick and easy to make, and you’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make the cheesecake filling.
For many recipes, the most important part of the process requires baking it in a water bath. This helps to ensure an even bake and it reduces the risk of cracks forming on the top of the cake.
The great news is, you won’t need to use a hot water bath to make this recipe!
What’s the difference between regular and New York cheesecake?
Almost every style of cheesecake has a base of cream cheese and eggs. The difference between regular cheesecake and a New York-style is, one bakes in the oven, while the other has a no-bake filling.
The process may be a little easier for a refrigerator cheesecake, but the consistency isn’t nearly as creamy and rich as that of a New York cheesecake.
This cheesecake is everything you would expect from a phenomenal New York-style cheesecake: it’s creamy, tangy and melt-in-your-mouth fantastic.
There are two variations of New York-style cheesecake…
The first relies on either heavy cream or sour cream in the batter to give it a richer flavor and a denser texture.
The second variation is one in which a mixture of sour cream, sugar, and vanilla is combined and spread on top of the almost-baked cheesecake, then returned to the oven to finish baking. The version I’m sharing with you here is the former; sour cream is mixed into the batter and creates a wonderfully decadent cheesecake.
Baking Method Revised and Updated
Many of you may be familiar with this recipe in its original form that was published in 2013; that recipe required you to start the cheesecake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 200 degrees for the remainder of the baking time. I’ve received a total mixed bag of comments and reviews over the years, from it turning out perfectly to people saying the cheesecake was completely burnt and cracked on top. I couldn’t figure it out because every time I had made it in the past, it was never an issue.
So, I re-tested it (in a newer-to-me oven). And it burned… and cracked. I was stumped after so many successful runs with it, so I did a ton of reading and research.
As it turns out, ovens all vary in the amount of time it takes to drop in temperature, and in this particular recipe, we’re dropping 300 degrees. If your oven drops temperature quickly, then you likely would not have a problem. However, if an oven takes a long time to drop, then it’s baking at a higher temperature for too long, which results in a too-dark and cracked top.
Since a slightly toasted top is characteristic of a New York cheesecake, I wanted to figure out how to make this work. As it turns out, Cook’s Illustrated also re-visited this recipe and flipped the order of baking, STARTING with 200 degrees and getting the cheesecake finished that way, then a quick few minutes in a 500-degree oven to get that little bit of color on top.
This also provides another benefit – if you like a purely pale cheesecake without any color on top, you can completely skip the last step of browning, no other adjustments needed!
How to make New York-style cheesecake:
Complete instructions for making this delicious New York cheesecake recipe are in the recipe card, at the bottom of this post, but here’s a quick recap:
Pre-Bake the Crust: A graham cracker crust is given some extra body with the addition of flour and is baked until fragrant, then cooled while the filling is prepared.
Make the Cheesecake Filling: Cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and eggs are mixed together into a wonderfully smooth filling.
Bake Low and Slow: The filling is poured over the crust and baked at 200 degrees F until it reaches 150 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, which will take anywhere from 2 hours 15 minutes to 3 hours.
Brown the Top: Increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees F and pop the cheesecake back in for a few quick minutes to get that golden toasted look on top.
Chill: The cheesecake must cool to room temperature (about 3 hours) and then go into the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, but overnight is best!
Topping Ideas
While a fabulous cheesecake can absolutely stand on its own, sometimes it’s nice to dress it up a bit when serving it to others. I have included a recipe for a fresh strawberry topping with the recipe below, and here are some other ideas:
To make this New York cheesecake recipe, a springform pan is essential. The pan will give height to your cheesecake, and because the outer ring is separate from the base, the sides stay smooth when you release it after cooling. Also, it’s impossible to get a baked cheesecake out of a regular pan without it falling to pieces.
An instant-read thermometer is the absolute best way to ensure your cheesecake is done but not overdone. We’re looking for 150 degrees F; the cheesecake will continue to cook as it cools and baking to this internal temperature will give you the most amazingly creamy cheesecake. If you do not have an instant-read thermometer, gently shake the pan – you want a circular area of about 2 inches in the center to still jiggle slightly.
As mentioned above, you can skip the browning step completely if you’d like.
If you DO plan on browning, be sure to keep a close eye on it because it will brown quickly. I found that it even darkened a shade or two after cooling, so keep that in mind, as well. Err on the side of removing it earlier rather than later.
A thoroughly chilled cheesecake is best! While 6 hours is the minimum, overnight is even better. (Which is awesome, because cheesecake is the ultimate make-ahead dessert!)
Storage: Keep the cheesecake wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To Freeze the Entire Cheesecake: Chill overnight in the refrigerator, wrap in plastic, then wrap in foil and place in a zip-top freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
To Freeze Slices of Cheesecake: Wrap each slice individually in plastic wrap, then place in a zip-top freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or at room temperature for approximately 45 minutes.
JOIN THE BEB BAKE-ALONG!
To tackle the New York cheesecake and bake along with me this month, simply do the following:
Make the cheesecake! I would love to hear what you plan to top it with, share in the comments below!
Snap a picture and either share it on social media (#BEBbakealong on Instagram or Twitter), upload it to the BEB Facebook group, or email it to me.
Check-in on Instagram and Facebook throughout the month to see everyone’s cheesecake and cheer each other on!
If you make the cheesecake and love it, please take a moment to stop back and leave a review below; they help out fellow readers so much! Thank you! xo
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and adjust racks to lower-middle and upper-middle positions. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
Make the Crust: In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, flour, brown sugar, and salt. Pour in the melted butter over the mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until the entire mixture is moistened. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared springform pan and bake until the edges begin to lightly brown, 11 to 13 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees F.
Make the Cheesecake Filling: Beat the cream cheese, ¾ cup of the sugar, and the salt on medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Beat in the remaining ¾ cup of sugar until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beater. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and beat on low speed until combined, 1 minute. Add the egg yolks and beat at medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, 1 minute. Scrape the bowl and beater well. Add the whole eggs two at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition.
Pour the filling over the crust and place the springform pan on the lower-middle rack. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack below to catch any drips. Bake until the cheesecake registers 150 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 2 hours 15 minutes to 3 hours.
Remove the cake from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees F (leave the rimmed baking sheet on the bottom rack).
Once the oven reaches 500 degrees, place the cheesecake on the upper-middle rack. Bake until the top is lightly browned, 3 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven, place on a wire rack and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Run a paring knife between the cheesecake and the side of the springform pan, then allow to cool to room temperature, at least 3 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 6 hours but ideally overnight.
Remove the sides of the springform pan and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
To Make the Fresh Strawberry Topping: In a large bowl, toss together the sliced strawberries and the sugar. Let sit for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to combine.
Process the jam in a food processor until smooth, about 10 seconds (or, whisk vigorously until the jam is completely smooth). Place the jam in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the jam is dark and no longer frothy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, then pour over the strawberries and stir to combine. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours (the strawberry topping is best served within 1 day of making it).
Video
Notes
To make this New York cheesecake recipe, a springform pan is essential. The pan will give height to your cheesecake, and because the outer ring is separate from the base, the sides stay smooth when you release it after cooling. Also, it’s impossible to get a baked cheesecake out of a regular pan without it falling to pieces.
An instant-read thermometer is the absolute best way to ensure your cheesecake is done but not overdone. We're looking for 150 degrees F; the cheesecake will continue to cook as it cools and baking to this internal temperature will give you the most amazingly creamy cheesecake. If you do not have an instant-read thermometer, gently shake the pan - you want a circular area of about 2 inches in the center to still jiggle slightly.
As mentioned above, you can skip the browning step completely if you'd like.
If you DO plan on browning, be sure to keep a close eye on it because it will brown quickly. I found that it even darkened a shade or two after cooling, so keep that in mind, as well. Err on the side of removing it earlier rather than later.
A thoroughly chilled cheesecake is best! While 6 hours is the minimum, overnight is even better. (Which is awesome, because cheesecake is the ultimate make-ahead dessert!)
Storage: Keep the cheesecake wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To Freeze the Entire Cheesecake: Chill overnight in the refrigerator, wrap in plastic, then wrap in foil and place in a zip-top freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
To Freeze Slices of Cheesecake: Wrap each slice individually in plastic wrap, then place in a zip-top freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or at room temperature for approximately 45 minutes.
Nutritional values are based on one slice of cheesecake.
Originally published in 2013, this has been updated to include a new recipe technique based on feedback and re-testing, new photos, a helpful video tutorial, and more in-depth recipe tips.
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